grow agave plant in pots is a great direction to add unique , architectural foliation to your home or garden . With their striking stem canker shape and fleshy , spiky leaves , American aloe make center - catching container specimen .
Why Grow Agaves in Pots?
There are several benefits to growing agave plants in pots
Size controller Agaves can grow quite large in the ground , but container growing restrict their size This makes them desirable for little spaces
Portability : Potted American aloe can easy be move around to fit your penury . Bring them deep down over wintertime or reposition them outdoors as needed .

innovation flexibility : The typical form and texture of agaves are marvelous intent elements . apply tummy to creatively incorporate agave into garden beds or patios in combinations that would be difficult to reach in the soil .
Fewer planting restrictions : agave stick out a wide range of conditions , but some types favour specific soils , mood , etc . rise in containers gives you control over the soil and environment they grow in .
Better plant life health : drain is all-important for agaves , and good deal provide excellent drainage . you could also audit solution for signal of rot .
Best Agaves for Containers
Nearly any type of agave can develop well in a pot with proper aid . Small , compact metal money are best choices . Some top selection include :
Octopus agave ( Agave vilmoriniana ) – Tight rosette of all-embracing , distorted leaves . grow 12 - 24 in magniloquent and broad .
Parry ’s agave ( Agave parryi ) – Rosettes of blue - gray leaves . Grows to 18 inches marvelous x 3 feet wide .
Lion ’s empennage agave ( Agave attenuata ) – Distinctive curved leave . Grows 3 - 4 feet tall x 3 - 6 substructure wide .
Dragon tree agave ( Agave potatorum ) – Bold little potato on brusque trunks . turn 3 - 4 invertebrate foot tall x 3 - 6 foot wide-eyed .
Queen Victoria agave ( Agave victoria - reginae ) – white-hot - striped farewell . arise 2 foot tall x 2 - 3 understructure wide .
Getting Started
prefer the correct potting mix – Use a very poriferous cactus or succulent potting commixture . total excess perlite and/or pumice to improve drain . avert standard pot soils as they hold too much moisture .
peck an appropriate corporation – Select a container that is just 2 to 4 inches wide than the plant . Terra cotta and credit card both work well . ensure the pot has drainage holes .
Plant at the veracious depth – Plant so the lowest leaves seat just above the potting admixture . Do n’t inter the central stem .
Water sparingly but deeply – Allow the soil to dry out out between waterings . Then soak good until water flows from the drain holes .
Fertilize in summer – Feed monthly with a balanced liquid plant food diluted to half strength . Do n’t fertilize in winter .
Give them Sunday – Grow in the brightest luminosity you could provide . At least 4 - 6 hours of direct Sunday daily is ideal .
Caring for Potted Agaves
Check soil moisture by stand by your finger’s breadth 1 - 2 inches into the potting mix . Water whenever the top few inches become dry .
verify supernumerary water can drain freely from the pot to keep squashy territory . raise pots on “ fundament ” or tray of pebbles .
turn out the pots regularly so all sides of the plant get even sunlight exposure for proper growth .
Remove spent leaves and any “ pups ” the plant life produce around its base to keep it attend goodish .
Repot whenever the plant outgrows its container . Go up just one pot sizing at a time to keep off over - potting .
Move pots into a sunny indoor location for wintertime if you live where temperature drop below 30 ° F .
Protect from hard freezes and hoarfrost . Agaves can tolerate Christ Within freezes down to about 25 ° F if they are wry .
Decorating with Potted Agaves
The unique shapes of agaves make them fun design element . Here are some estimate for decoratively using agave potted plants :
geminate humble agave with tall vertical plants like grasses .
Edge a mixed planting bottom or margin with a course of small agaves .
Flank an entryway or frame a pathway with great agave mass .
Group 3 - 5 tummy of various agave types and size to create visual involvement .
implant miniature agaves like ‘ Octopus ’ in shallow bonsai flowerpot as tabletop accents .
Use blue - gray chant century plant to complement flushed and orange flowers .
Contrast fine textured plants with bluff agave leafage .
Common Problems
Overall agaves are quite hardy when grow in container , but issues can uprise if apply improper care :
beginning rot – due to too much wet . Allow grunge to dry out between waterings .
crownwork rot – Also due to overwatering . Do n’t get urine trapped between leaves .
suntan – Leaves may sear if go from shade into full Lord’s Day too promptly .
Frost damage – Protect from drop below 25 ° degree Fahrenheit . Leaves turn schmaltzy and pitch-black .
pest – ascertain for shell , mealy bug , and agave rostrum weevils .
Propagating Agaves
One advantage of growing agave in pots is you’re able to create more industrial plant easily :
Offset division – Detach the belittled “ pups ” that form around the mother works . Pot up separately .
Leaf clipping – Remove an out leaf and lay flat in pot mix . New plants will bourgeon from the base .
The Takeaway
win with potted agaves is easy when follow a few introductory fear rule of thumb . Their unique sculptural shapes provide endless design possibility for gardens and patio . With minimal upkeep require for intelligent growth , agaves are idealistic for both beginning and experient container gardeners alike . have these drouth - tolerant succulents add bluff foliage and grain to your great deal !
Blog Network: Martha’s Circle
My gardeners and outside priming coat bunch are busy at my farm in Bedford , New York , getting all of the tropic plant life ready to be moved into their heated greenhouses for the wintertime . Also , now is a good time to repot plants if they demand it . For instance , this year I ’m moving some of my young agave to freehanded pots .
Agave is a genus of monocots aboriginal to the hot and arid regions of the Americas . A lot of them have beautiful , symmetrical rosette made up of stiff , bad leaves with few or no stems . Some plants get up to 20 - understructure in diam , while others grow only to dish - size . I have it off all agaves and have both large and diminished varieties in my collection . Many of the plant actually began as pups , which were cut off from grownup plants and planted again the right way in my nursery .
Planting Agave Containers at My House and My Mom’s | Gardening with Wyse Guide
FAQ
Does agave develop well in pots ?
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How often should I irrigate pot agave ?